Beyond Limits
by Universitas
Summary: Sometimes, five 100-word drabbles aren't enough. Seven "deleted scenes" from "Mass Mayhem" further exploring Victor Shepard and the people serving under him. *M!Shep/Joker*
1. Victor Shepard: After the Fact

I figured that 500 words and 5 themes weren't enough to cover some of the things I wanted to squeeze into the main "Mass Mayhem." So I'm picking seven of the 20 weeks and writing up a "deleted scene" for each (without a word limit). This week is for Week 1.

I do not own _Mass Effect_. BioWare and EA do.

* * *

**Beyond Limits**_  
by Universitas_

**1. Victor Shepard – Earthborn**_  
After the Fact_

"So I guess this makes us fags."

Victor and Jake sat on trashcans on opposite sides of an alley. Both of them avoided eye contact; Victor chose Jake's knife as the focus of his gaze, while Jake stared off towards the alley's end.

"Yeah," Jake said. "I guess."

"If the others ever find out…"

"I know, dammit." Jake's stare drifted to the rusted metal ground. He slid his thumb up and down on the knife, retracting and extending its blade over and over. "They'll beat the shit out of us and leave us to the Fangs or something."

"Guess this is a fuck-up, then. We shouldn't go on with this."

Jake looked up at him; doing so drew Victor's eyes as well. "I didn't say that. I—" He sighed. "Lemme say this again. They'll _try _to beat the shit out of us. But the Old Man would kill them first. Without us, the Reds are outta hackers. The Old Man's not the fag-hating kind of guy, anyways."

"You never know."

"I don't think he'd be surprised."

Jake was set on it, and as always, there was no stopping him. Also as always, Victor was dragged right along with him. But it wasn't like he didn't want it. It was different. Intense. Dangerous. Victor kinda liked that.

* * *

There you go, another piece of Victor Shepard's story. Thanks for reading!


	2. Urdnot Wrex: Rebirth

This week goes with Week 5 of "Mass Mayhem." I tried adding a more hopeful note to contrast the kinda bleak tone of the actual week.

* * *

**Urdnot Wrex – Resignation**_  
Rebirth_

"It was good seeing you again," Shepard said. "Good luck with everything." With that, he took off, the salarian and the new Urdnot in tow.

Wrex watched them leave. In two days, Shepard had almost doubled Clan Urdnot's already great strength. First, he wiped out Clan Weyrloc. Guld had always been a thorn in Wrex's side, but was too powerful for Wrex to crush himself without losing many of his men. He couldn't risk a humiliating defeat. With Guld dead, Clan Urdnot could easily claim what was left behind. Second, he helped the whelp called Grunt kill a thresher maw, a feat last accomplished by Wrex himself centuries ago. In doing so, Shepard and Grunt also killed Uvenk—another annoyance dealt with.

Maybe Shepard's sudden reappearance meant something.

Wrex had worked tirelessly to drag Clan Urdnot to the top, to regain the position of leadership he had relinquished after Jarrod's attack. And he was making progress, faster than the last time. The rebirth of the krogan happened at the same time as the rebirth of Shepard.

Wrex wasn't one to believe in signs. He preferred the real, the measurable, the absolute. But after discovering that Shepard conquered death itself… He allowed himself to smirk as he gazed at the krogan of Urdnot going about their business. Just like he thought the first time…

He might pull it off after all.


	3. Victor Shepard: Someone to Turn To

I had to cut out a Kaidan scene because the muse didn't like it. So instead I put in this little thing explaining part of the origins of Victor's Paragon-ness (though he goes Renegade on bad guys and unsavory sorts, making him a bit Paragade).

* * *

**Victor Shepard – War Hero**_  
Someone to Turn To_

It took hours of front-line combat, a relentless horde of criminals, and several broken bones for Victor Shepard to realize that he had enlisted for the wrong reasons.

He had joined the Alliance military to distance himself from the Reds, from O'Connor. He didn't want to become some big hero, he just wanted to get away, become the total opposite of a lowlife gang member.

Victor smiled at that thought. Before he got the boot, he thought gang life was hardly low.

But when that army laid siege to Elysium, when he saw civilians running for nonexistent shelter with unmistakably fearful faces, he found that "distancing himself from the Reds" wouldn't cut it as a reason to fight.

He remembered Captain Whitwell's words when she told him of his impending entry into the N7 training program. _"Space is a dangerous place, especially for humans. And sometimes, rank-and-file soldiers aren't enough to protect against those dangers. That's where Special Forces comes in."_

By then, Victor's thought process sounded very similar to Alliance recruitment. He didn't mind too much. Exaggerated as the recruiters' words were, there was always some hint of truth in them. He had to fight because he wanted to fight, to be someone people could turn to in the face of danger.


	4. Jeff Moreau: Knock on Wood, Reversed

There was so much more I wanted to squeeze into "Knock on Wood," but I couldn't because of the 100-word limit. As the title might suggest, this is an extension of "Knock on Wood" from Week 11 of "Mass Mayhem," but from Kaidan's perspective.

* * *

**Jeff "Joker" Moreau – Moments**_  
Knock on Wood, Reversed_

Kaidan realized that he hadn't been to the _Normandy_'s bridge in a while. Omni-tool and bio-amp calibrations were a huge time sink, he supposed. But now that the ship was docked at the Citadel and Shepard was out on business with Wrex and Ash, it was time to actually enjoy some free time for once.

"Joker."

The pilot jumped in his chair, then pressed a button on the haptic interface. "God dammit, can you not sneak up on me like that? You're as bad as the Commander."

"It would help if you lowered the volume of whatever you're listening to."

"I could spend an hour telling you all the problems with that."

Kaidan walked up to the front and sat down in the chair to the right. "Shepard comes up here a lot, doesn't he?"

Joker grinned. "I'm just great company." During the long pause, that grin slowly turned into an awkward frown. Kaidan raised an eyebrow. "You know, I've been wanting to ask you something."

"Why me?" Kaidan found that he asked that question a little too soon. There was only one subject Joker would only ask him about. "Don't tell me you're interested in someone else again."

"That obvious?"

It was Kaidan's turn to smile. "Who is it now? Ash? Doctor T'Soni?" A pause. "Fredricks?"

"Shepard."

Things had definitely become interesting. "Well, it's not impossible, considering the commander's… uh, _preferences._"

Joker blinked. "Wait. So you're saying…"

"I thought everyone here knew. It's not a big deal, but it's no secret." Kaidan remembered discovering Shepard's interest in men for himself.

_"Sorry," Shepard said, "I don't like talking about that relationship. Hell, I don't even like thinking about the guy." Kaidan's slightly confused look prompted Shepard to mirror it. "You… don't mind, right? That I like men?"_

_Kaidan blinked himself out of his momentary daze. "Uh… oh, no, not at all. Sorry, sir, it's just that I wouldn't have taken you for… well, you know."_

"Considering how much time he spends up here, you of all people should've known."

"Huh." Joker looked towards his piloting instruments, a thoughtful look coming over his face.

"So, yes, you might have a chance." "Might" was the key word, though. Shepard didn't seem to be interested in a new relationship. Kaidan smiled, remembering the card he'd always play when Joker took an interest in a crewmate. "_But_, the Alliance still has regs against fraternization."


	5. Jeff Moreau: Echoing, Reversed

For such a major asshole, the Illusive Man is so much fun to write. It's similar to writing prequel-era Palpatine (from _Star Wars_), though the Illusive Man doesn't the hide the fact that he's a manipulative bastard.

Like the last one, this is the flip-side of one of the drabbles from Week 14, showing and expanding on the scene from the Illusive Man's perspective.

* * *

**Jeff "Joker" Joker – Ghosts**_  
Echoing, Reversed_

In a world of costs and benefits and risks, the Illusive Man had learned to play the game of investment very well. Investment in projects, investment in business ventures, investment in political maneuvers.

And, the most relevant to the moment, investment in people.

Despite his fragile skeleton, Joker had proven himself a worthwhile acquisition to Cerberus. Between his recruitment and the present, he had served the military cells well as a pilot, often performing miraculous feats with ships far inferior to the _Normandy_. But there was only one reason why Illusive Man had him recruited.

Shepard, of course. Two points behind that reason. Obviously, the SR-2 would need a pilot capable of handling her. What better choice was there than the man who flew her predecessor? And secondly, the Illusive Man knew that Shepard wouldn't take coming back from the dead to work with Cerberus lying down. Joker would serve as a constant of sorts, an anchor to the old life that would keep him comfortable.

The Illusive Man did not want Joker's skills going to waste while Miranda's team rebuilt Shepard, so he had him initially placed in Cerberus' military division. Standard Cerberus policy was that no operative from one cell could know about any others, to minimize the risk of security leaks. Moving Joker to the Lazarus Cell would be problematic.

Meeting with the man would thus serve two purposes. One, Shepard's reconstruction was complete, and Joker needed to know of his impending transfer to the Lazarus Cell. Two, a more ulterior motive, informing him of his best friend's resurrection by Cerberus would instill a degree of loyalty, enough to prevent him from giving away too much information about the organization.

The Illusive Man summoned a haptic window and pressed a button. Starting from the bottom, the pilot's image took shape above the circular projector on the floor.

"Joker," he said, putting on a very casual tone. "Operator Kylon tells me that you've done very well working with the Talon Cell out in the Verge. I understand that you outmaneuvered some of the Alliance's best ships during a mission to the Krogan DMZ?"

"Yes, sir."

He nodded. "Well done. Unfortunately, your time with the Talon Cell is about to end. I have far more important work for you." A small pause. "Shortly after Sovereign's destruction, entire human colonies started disappearing. We believe that whoever is responsible is working for the Reapers. Joker, you're being transferred to the Lazarus Cell for this mission."

The Illusive Man stopped for a moment. Joker's expression suggested curiosity, perhaps with a hint of his token irreverence that marked his old Alliance file.

He took a breath and continued. "You may have heard rumors about their special project. For two years…" Now was the time for theatrics. They complemented dramatic revelations quite well, and the Illusive Man wanted this particular piece of information to have its fullest impact on Joker. "… the Lazarus Cell has worked to bring one very specific, very important person back from the dead. Someone you know well."

He pressed a button on a haptic window. At once, he hit Joker with a ponderous amount of imagery. Diagrams of Shepard's biometric measurements and vital signs. Images of the reconstruction process. A live feed of Shepard lying on the Lazarus table, so detailed that one could make out the rising and falling of the man's chest.

The dramatics worked. Joker looked utterly dumbstruck, and the victory the Illusive Man saw in the display of vulnerability brought a smile to his face.

A finishing touch. "Your commanding officer will be Commander Shepard."

* * *

The next one on "Beyond Limits" features a romance that for once has nothing to do with Shepard.


	6. Normandy: Stake Your Claim

Originally, I had this pinned on Miranda making an advance on Jacob while Kasumi observes and does some metaphorical fist-shaking. Then I decided that the original version didn't really fit into my canon, so now it's just straightforward Kasumi/Jacob.

* * *

_**Normandy**_** – Fleeting Peace**_  
Stake Your Claim_

_"It's what Keiji would've wanted," Shepard said._

_Kasumi slumped her shoulders. "I know, but… like I said. It's all I have left of him. If I destroy it…"_

_Shepard dropped his gaze for a moment. The ensuing silence lingered in the shuttle for several moments. "If it's too hard for you, I could do it."_

_She gave the greybox one last look. He was right. It would be selfish to keep it for herself. It would make her a target. Keiji wouldn't have wanted that. Kasumi kept telling herself those little pieces of logic, though they never stuck. "All right, then. Let's get this over with."_

_Kasumi didn't watch Shepard wipe the memories clean._

Kasumi felt a little like a housewife.

Port Observation had to be spotless. With help from a LOKI mech she pawned off Omega, the entire room—from the floor to the tables to the bar—had been polished to perfection. Every little bottle on the shelves stood in a perfect line. All excellent, except for that _one_ couch _those two_ insisted on staining with… _stuff_ when they screwed around. Upholstery took care of that, fortunately.

Her trained senses picked up on the subtle sliding of metal. She looked around.

"You didn't have to go through all this effort, you know," Jacob said.

Kasumi shrugged. "I prefer to think of cleaning as 'stealing dirt off places where it doesn't need to be.' Besides, even I get bored sometimes." She gestured towards the bar. "Come on in. I made ramen. Not my grandmother's recipe, but close enough and almost as good."

She had to mentally thank Shepard. As much as it would've been nice to keep the memories, it was nicer to be able to move forward.

* * *

When I posted "Commander and Pilot - Forged," I promised a "Beyond Limits" one-shot that would delve a bit deeper into their relationship that those five drabbles did. So it's coming up next.


	7. Commander and Pilot: Momentary

And at last, the end of "Beyond Limits." Just like "Mayhem," with more Shep/Joker stuff. It's kind of a spiritual successor of sorts to "Constants," though from the flip side of things and much less angsty.

Also, I snuck in a 21st century music reference. It's obvious, but kudos to you anyways if you get it.

* * *

**Commander and Pilot - Forged**_  
Momentary_

A blaring alarm of what sounded like music jolted Joker from his sleep. It took him a second to regain his bearings. For once, he had been sleeping on an actual bed instead of the pilot's chair or a sleeper pod. And it was a damn comfortable bed; another perk of working for Cerberus. The cacophony of rock guitars and heavy percussion, layered with some guy singing about saving someone "while there's still something left to save," however, kinda overwhelmed Joker's otherwise comfortable position. He rolled onto his back just as Victor slammed his fist on the holographic clock on his nightstand. The music's sudden cut-off prompted a sigh of relief from Joker.

Victor looked back at him with a guilty smile. "Sorry."

"Forget to switch off the alarm?"

"It happens," Victor said, shrugging. "Especially when you've just had amazing sex."

Joker chuckled. "I told you, I'm not just a one-trick pony."

"That's for sure." Victor lay back down on the bed and tapped another key on the nightstand. A metal panel in the ceiling withdrew, and inch by inch, the star Tasale's light bathed the Captain's cabin in a yellow-orange glow. "You know, I don't usually get to enjoy a sunrise. Now I have a nice excuse to do it."

"I didn't take you for the sunrise-admiring type."

"It's my inner romantic. Well, not really. It just reminds me of Elysium, the Blitz."

"What," Joker said, "did the Alliance get there just as the sun started rising? Saw that trope everywhere on the old vids."

Victor tossed him a small smirk. "No, actually. The enemy got _their_ reinforcements when the sun rose. Most of the scars I got from that battle came from between that point and when the Alliance arrived."

"Ouch." The mention of scars drew Joker's gaze down to Victor's chest. The Lazarus Project had gotten rid of them while rebuilding him; it would've been nice to be able to see them, though.

Something clicked; Joker finally got why something seemed off. Victor, ever the busybody, was pretty much lying there, doing nothing. He raised an eyebrow, sitting up. "So… how long before we get back to work? Pretty sure EDI and Miranda are already screwing something up without us."

"Until I thank you for staying." Victor looked at him and paused, as if the sentence meant a lot more to him than his tone made it seem. "Which I just did."

* * *

And that's all for "Beyond Limits," which means that that's all for the time period covered by the "Mass Mayhem" and related things. If you're wondering why I'm posting all this fic in this short space, you'll see why.


End file.
